The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-03-04

ing Mrs. Druse remained up until about
11:30 p. m. Deputy Sheriff BARLEY Man.
ion, with Mr.. and Mrs. Waterman, the
death-watch, induced her to lie down.
During the night Mrs. Druse ate one
of the heartiess meals that she has eaten
since she was prisoner. She had about
two hours of rest after four a. M, but did
not sleep soundly at any time.
Rev. DR.. Powell visited Mrs. Druse about
nine a. m, and did all in his power to calm
her and prepare her for the awful moment
At IL 80 o'clock the sheritf's Jury was
ordered into the jail-yard, while Sheriff
Cook, Under Sheriff Rice and the deputies
and physicians proceeded to Mrs. Druse's
cell, where she sat weeping. Sheriff
Cook began reading the death warrant and
respite of Governor Hill At 1857 a. m.
Mrs. Druse's pulse was so; at1l AZ, just be-
fore the march to the gallows was COM
menced, it raised TO 90 Te those who Oh
fered to assist Mrs. Druse in arising DR..
Powell said: "She will bear herself well,
and does not need any assistance"
Sheriff Cook and Under Sheriff Rice led
the procession, followed by Rev. DR..
Powell and Mrs. Druse, and the physicians
and deputies in order. Mrs. Druse was
dressed ia black cashmere with lace
edging on the sleeves She wore small
shawl over her shoulders that was loaned
to her by Mrs. Cook. At II 80 Mrs. Druse
and DR.. Powell l1nelt on the floor OF the
scaffold under the rope. DR.. Powell offered
prayer.
When the prayer was ended Mrs. Druse
cast her eyes upward and caught sight of
the dangling moose, which she had not
noticed before, and a convulsive tremor
shook her slight frame. She also sobbed
gently at intervals.
She was then asked if she had any thing
to say, when she referred to DR.. Powell
who thanked all those who had been kind
to her, and implored all her enemies to for
give her, as she forgave all. DR.. Powell
then pressed Mrs. Druse's hand, and left
the jail-yard.
The executioner then stepped forward
and pinioned her arms and legs together
The moose was adjusted and the black cap
drawn down over her face. At this point
the prisoner again showed signs of
collapse and began to scream and shrek
at the top of her voice in q hystercal
manner, but the drop of the 213-pound
weight choked her cries in her throat,
and the body Of the murderess, whose
awful crime has shocked the entire
country, was sent flying upward about
four feet, shooting forward to the right
and settling back to within foot and a
half OF the platform. Her death was ap-
parently easy, and life was pronounced
extinct in fifteen minutes after the drop
fell. The body was cut down AID placed
in a neat imitation rosewood coffin, and
turned over to Rev DR.. Powell. The re-
mains were taken to Oak Hill cemetery
and placed in a vault, where it will rest
until its final disposition is determined
upon.
Before her death Mrs. Druse made an
affidavit in which she swore that her
daughter Mary, now serving life sentence
for the crime was in no way implicated in
the fathers murder
STORY OF THE CRIME.
The Druse family consisted of Mr.. William
Druse, farmer of moderate means, his wife,
Roxalana, her daughter, and a nephew
named George Gates. December IS
Druse asked the boy Gates to get
up and build the fire. which he did, Mrs. Druse
and her daughter arising at the same time.
After breakfast Mrs. Druse sent George her son,
out of the house, and then calling the nephew
handed him a revolver and told him to
shoot Druse or she would shoot him. The boy
then fired at Druse and the woman, snatching
the pistol from him, fired at her husband until
it was empty. She then took an axe and pound
ed him over the head afterward decapitating
the body. The boy and George Druse, were
then compelled to build a large fire in
both stoves and were set on atch at the
windows while the body was being burned.
The flesh, after being boiled and burned
off the bones, was given to the hogs. The boy
stated that the next morning all he saw of
Druse's body was large bone, and even that
was eventually placed in the stove by the
daughter Mary. The ashes and few remains
were then put into bag and tin box and
thrown into neighboring swamp, the axe and
pistol being consigned to pond, where they
were afterward found.
The inquest was closed January IS, the jury
finding that William Druse was shot and killed
by Roxalana, his wife, aged forty years, and that
Mary j., the daughter aged twenty, George w.
S. Druse. the son, aged ten, and Frank Gates,
the nephew, were feloniously present and gave
aid and comfort to the woman
The entire family was arrested, but the boys
escaped on account of their youth. Mrs. Druse
and her daughter were promptly convicted, the
former being sentenced to death and the
daughter to State prison for life. No reason
was ever given for the crime save desire to be
rid of her husband.